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« TLS Profiles - TLS Programs - TLS Stats - Rankings Vermont Law SchoolWritten by Hadi Sedigh
Admissions and Tuition: In a typical year, Vermont Law School extends offers of admissions to more than half of its applicant pool, which usually consists of more than 1,000 applicants, and welcomes an entering class of about 200 students. For the entering class of 2007, LSAT scores at the 25th and 75th percentiles were 151 and 158, while undergraduate GPAs at the same percentiles were 2.95 and 3.54. Applicants with numbers that fall within these ranges should be competitive in future application cycles at Vermont Law, while those with numbers above the 2007 class’s 75th percentiles are likely to be considered for merit scholarships, which Vermont typically grants to about one-fourth of each entering class. Applicants with lower numbers should take special care to prepare well-written essays, as Vermont Law School places special emphasis on this part of the application and requires each applicant to prepare three essays on a range of topics. It bears mention here that according to many successful recent applicants of Vermont Law, the school’s admissions process focuses less on numbers and more on a candidate’s ability to demonstrate, through experience and essays, a passion for a particular area of the law that he or she wishes to pursue at Vermont Law School. In terms of tuition, Vermont Law School ranks among the most expensive law schools in the nation. For the class of 2011, annual tuition at Vermont Law will be $38,408. The school does its part in helping students pay these expenses by supplying nearly 60% of its student body with grants and scholarships of varying amounts. Note that even though the name may imply that Vermont Law School is public, it is actually a private law school and thus no benefits in tuition or gaining acceptance are granted to Vermont residents. Academics and Curriculum: Not surprisingly, Vermont Law School’s Environmental Law Center is the star attraction of the school’s curriculum. This prestigious program boasts 18 full-time faculty, an Environmental Litigation Clinic, an internationally recognized Environmental Law Journal, and more than 50 courses related to matters of environmental law. Before taking full advantage of the opportunities presented by the Environmental Law Center, students must enroll in the usual first year requirements, and are helped through the trials of this most rigorous year by Vermont Law’s Academic Success Program. During their second and third years at the school, Vermont Law students are for the most part free to explore the school’s elective course selection, and can also partake in various academic activities outside of the classroom. Among these are several clinical opportunities, including the Semester in Practice Program, which allows students to gain practical legal experience in various cities throughout the country, and the South Royalton Legal Clinic, which allows students to provide legal assistance to low-income clients. Students who wish to take their legal education beyond American borders can also partake in the Law School Exchange Program, which allows them to spend a semester of their legal education at reputable law schools in France, Canada, or Italy. Rural Location and Quality of Life:
Although most will likely be dissuaded by the rural setting of Vermont Law, applicants who are not deterred by the school’s location will likely experience a serene and enjoyable law school experience. The student body of Vermont Law is a tight-knit and welcoming group, and the school ensures that students have opportunities for socialization by hosting various events throughout the year. Students also enjoy the exceptional safety of the Vermont Law campus and its surrounding area, and of course, are not be troubled by urban problems such as insufficient parking and frustrating traffic jams. The cost of living around Vermont Law is also advantageous for students, as most are able to find suitable housing options for less than $600 per month. Employment Prospects and Bar Passage: For students at Vermont Law School who wish to work in the field of environmental law, employment prospects are strong and impressively national. Each year, most of the school’s students leave the New England region to begin employment, and significant numbers of graduates are able to find employment in the Pacific, Mountain West, South Atlantic, and Middle Atlantic regions. Although such national reach is impressive for a third-tier law school, applicants should keep in mind that most, if not all, of Vermont Law’s national reputation is related to its Environmental Law program, and students who wish to find employment in other areas of the law will likely have mainly regional and somewhat poor job prospects similar to those of students at other third-tier law schools. On the Vermont bar exam, Vermont Law School grads typically pass at a lower rate than the overall state passage rate. For the summer 2005 and winter 2006 administrations of the Vermont exam, 65% of all first-time takers from Vermont Law School passed, while 75% of all test-takers in the state succeeded. Synopsis: For applicants interested in the field of environmental law, Vermont Law School is an advantageous option, as the school houses the top-ranked environmental law program in the nation. For applicants interested in other areas of the law, however, Vermont Law is a much less desirable option. All applicants who are interested in the school should visit if at all possible, as Vermont Law’s rural location is sure to dissuade many applicants from applying. Contact Information: Chelsea Street, PO Box 96 Quick Reference: U.S. News 2009 ranking: Outside of Top 100, Third-Tier |
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Vermont Law School is known for its Environmental Law program, which is currently ranked as the best such program in the nation by the popular US News & World Report Rankings. In overall rankings, on the other hand, Vermont Law School is generally ranked outside of the top 100, and is currently relegated to the undesirable third-tier of the USNWR rankings. As a result, Vermont Law is a great option for applicants who wish to study and work in the field of environmental law, but a much less advantageous choice for applicants interested in other areas of the law. 
While law school visits are always a good idea, visiting Vermont Law School is a must for interested applicants. The law school is located in a very rural area that houses only a handful of bars and restaurants and is likely to present a huge change of pace for most applicants. Also, the fact that Vermont Law is an independent institution and is not connected to any major university means that there is no large campus on which the law school facilities are located, creating a somewhat isolated situation for Vermont Law students. For some, this sort of lifestyle will be ideal for academic pursuits, as it presents truly minimal distractions, while for others, such a lifestyle could be challenging and even intolerable. As a result, all applicants should visit Vermont Law School, if at all possible, to determine their level of comfort with the school’s rural setting.